Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited will work in partnership with the clients, their families and other professionals through effective communication, trust building and valuing and respecting what others have to say. Furthermore, Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited will ensure that the rights of its service users are respected not only by us but also by other people involved in their care.

At Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited, we believe that each person has their own identity, needs, wishes, choices, beliefs and values and that ‘one size fits all’ does not work when it comes to providing care and support. Consequently, we support each individual to make choices about their care and support.

Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited recognize the fact that overall wellbeing is about life satisfaction, optimism, self-esteem, feeling in control, having a purpose and sense of belonging and support. We truly acknowledge the fact that older people receiving care in their homes often experience depression, loneliness, low levels of satisfaction and wellbeing. We have therefore identified taking part in meaningful activities, maintaining and developing personal identity, getting the right help for any health conditions and sensory impairments as key to wellbeing.

Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited thinks that it is essential to a person’s wellbeing and dignity that they are seen as an individual with experiences, aspirations and opinions. We believe each person should feel valued and be offered opportunities and support to express themselves. We also believe that they should be able to continue to develop a sense of who they are and what they want.

Our care staff will help by working in partnership with the person to:

• Find out what is important from their personal history, interests and beliefs and tailor the support and opportunities offered accordingly.
• Make sure they have the chance to choose their own clothes and where to sit when eating, and to have their most valued possessions around them.
• Provide any support needed to make choices and decisions.
• Help the person maintain existing relationships and to develop new ones.

We always give our client a choice of activities that motivate them, and that offer the chance to learn new skills and increase independence in other to help our clients to stay well and feel satisfied with life.

Our care staff will enable clients to consider:

• Physical, social and leisure activities, including activities of daily living.
• Both structured and spontaneous activities, individually or in groups, and involving family and friends.
• Making links with the wider community and trying relevant activities or groups.
• Emotional, creative, intellectual and spiritual stimulation.
• Positive risk taking, including going outdoors or adapting the indoor environment, to achieve their goals.
• Getting involved in delivering staff training, and developing information, policies and procedures.
• Being aware of any individual needs as a result of a learning disability, cognitive impairment, communication and language difficulties, and cultural differences.
• Ask people how they feel about the opportunities offered to them. If they find it difficult to give feedback, think about using staff observation or gathering views from family members, friends or advocates.

To help people maintain and improve their wellbeing, our care staff will be trained and supported to:

• Be aware of any mental health conditions, sensory impairments or physical problems that a person already has.
• Look for any changes in how the person usually is, and any signs or symptoms of new conditions.
• Record observations in the person’s care plan.
• Share information and concerns with healthcare professionals, including the person’s GP.
• Know when and how to make a referral to the relevant healthcare services.

Loss of sight and hearing can be very disabling, but these are often seen as an expected part of ageing and may go unnoticed. These impairments can significantly affect a person’s communication, confidence and independence, so it is essential to provide support to avoid the person becoming isolated. Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited will make sure that its care staff:

• Have an awareness of the different types of sight and hearing loss and how they affect people.
• Help people keep their glasses clean and change their hearing aid batteries.
• Arrange regular sight and hearing checks.

Physical conditions can cause discomfort and affect a person’s ability to undertake daily living tasks, join in with social activities and stay independent. This is likely to affect their mental wellbeing. Our care staff will look out for physical difficulties such as:

• Joint, muscular or undiagnosed pain.
• Incontinence.
• Dizziness.
• Constipation.
• Urinary tract infections.
• Difficulty in moving.
• Unsteady walking.

Divine Care and Support Services(Wales) Limited is part of the community and people who live in them have the same right to healthcare as anyone else in the community. To promote people’s wellbeing and ensure their physical and mental health needs are addressed, our registered manager will:

• Work in partnership with healthcare organisations and professionals.
• Make sure referrals are made when needed.
• Expect ongoing monitoring and review of existing conditions, as well as access to the full range of primary, secondary, specialist and mental health services.
• Consider how both practice and care home nurses can facilitate joint working and share up-to-date knowledge and skills with other staff, and with people and their families.